Apparatus for the transverse stretching and transverse shrinking of a continuous web material

ABSTRACT

AN APPARATUS FOR TRANSVERSELY STRETCHING OR TRANSVESELY SHRINKING A CONTINUOUSLY MOVABLE MATERIAL WEB, ESPECIALLY A PAPER WEB FOR TREATMENT IN A PAPER MACHINE WHICH INCLUDES A ROTATABLE HOSE ROLLER WHOSE HOSE IS HELD ON ITS ENDS AT THE OUTER SURFACE OF TWO DISKS OR THE LIKE WHICH ARE ADAPTED TO BE TILTED TOWARD EACH OTHER IN THE SENSE OF A CHANGE IN WIDTH OF THE HOSE DURING ITS ROTATION AND THEREWITH IN THE SENSE OF THE DESIRED TRANSVESE STRETCHING OR SHRINKING OF THE MATERIAL WEB WHICH IS PRESSED BY A COUNTER SURFACE AGAINST AN AREA OF THE OUTER SURFACE OF   THE HOSE ROLLER WHEREBY THE HOSE ROLLER INCLUDING THE DISKS OR THE LIKE ARE EITHER FLATTENED OFF IN A FIXED CIRCUMFERENTIAL AREA DETERMINED FOR THE COOPERATION WITH THE COUNTER SURFACE OR ARE CONSTRUCTED SO AS TO BE ELASTICALLY DEFORMABLE IN THE RADIAL DIRECTION, AND THE HOSE WITHIN THE CONTACT AREA WITH THE MATERIAL WEB IS SUPPORTED BY WAY OF THE COUNTER SURFACE WHICH MAY BE A SIMILAR HOSE ROLLER OR CYLINDER, SUCH AS A DRYING CYLINDER.

June 22, 1971 A. SCHMIDT 3,586,602

APPARATUS FOR THE TRANSVERSE STRETCHING AND TRANSVERSE SHRINKING OF A CONTINUOUS WEB MATERIAL Filed Oct. 19, 1967 8 Sheets-Sheet l 3,586,602 NSVERSE A. SCHMIDT June 22, 1971 APPARATUS FOR THE TRANSVERSE STRETCHING AND TRA SHRINKING OF A CONTINUOUS WEB MATERIAL 8 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Oct. 19, 1967 vmm w A. SCHMIDT 3,586,602 APPARATUS FOR THE TRANSVERSE STRETCHING AND TRANSVERSE June 22, 1971 SHRINKING OF A CONTINUOUS WEB MATERIAL 8 Sheets-Sheet :5

Filed Oct. 19, 1967 June 22, 1971 A. SCHMIDT 3,586,602

APPARATUS l-OR THE TRANSVERSE STRETCHING AND TRANSVERSE SHRINKING OF A CONTINUOUS WEB MATERIAL Filed Oct. 19, 1967 8 Sheets-Sheet 4.

June 22, 1971 SCHMIDT 3,586,602

APPARATUS FOR THE TRANSVERSE STRETCHING AND TRANSVERSI'I SHRINKING OF A CONTINUOUS WEB MATERIAL Filed Oct. 19, 1967 8 Sheets-Sheet 5 June 22, 1971 8 SheetS -Sheet 6 SHRINKING OF A CONTINUOUS WEB MATERIAL Filed Oct. 19,. 1967 June 22, 1971 SCHMIDT 3,586,602

APPARATUS FOR THE TRANSVERSE STRETCHING AND TRANSVERSE SHRINKING OF A CONTINUOUS WEB MATERIAL Filed Oct. 19, 1967 8 Sheets-Sheet '7 H I" 52 m June 22, 1971 scHM D 3,586,602

APPARATUS FOR THE TRANSVERSE STRETCHING AND TRANSVERSE SHRINKING OF A CONTINUOUS WEB MATERIAL Filed Oct. 19, 1967 8 Sheets-Sheet 8 United States Patent-O 3,586,602 APPARATUS FOR THE TRANSVERSE STRETCH- ING AND TRANSVERSE SHRINKING OF A CONTINUOUS WEB MATERIAL Adolf Schmidt, 14 Nippesstrasse, Duren, Rhineland, Germany Filed Oct. 19, 1967, Ser. No. 676,541 Claims priority, application Germany, Oct. 19, 1966, Sch 39,702 Int. Cl. D21f 3/09 US. Cl. 162-359 17 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE An apparatus for transversely stretching or transversely shrinking a continuously movable material Web, especially a paper web for treatment in a paper machine which includes a rotatable hose roller whose hose is held on its ends at the outer surface of two disks or the like which are adapted to be tilted toward each other in the sense of a change in width of the hose during its rotation and therewith in the sense of the desired transverse stretching or shrinking of the material web which is pressed by a counter surface against an area of the outer surface of the hose roller whereby the hose roller including the disks or the like are either flattened off in a fixed circumferential area determined for the cooperation with the counter surface or are constructed so as to be elastically deformable in the radial direction, and the hose within the contact area with the material web is supported by way of the counter surface which may be a similar hose roller or cylinder, such as a drying cylinder.

The present invention relates to an installation for the transverse stretching (elongation) or transverse shrinking of a continuously conveyed or advanced material web, by means of a rotatable hose roller, the hose of said roller being attached at its ends at the peripheral surfaces of two disks or the like, which are tiltable with respect to each other along the lines of a change in the width of the hose during its rotation and thus along the lines of the desired transverse stretching (elongation) or transverse shrinking of the material web pressed by a counter surface against a zone of the surface area of the hose roller.-

With such a known installation of the prior art used for the creping of films in their longitudinal direction, the material web has to be extended around a corresponding circumferential zone of the hose roller and has to be pressed so strongly against the hose of the hose roller that the desired change in width in unison with the deformation of the hose is ensured. By reason of the required considerable contact pressures, it is. however, difiicult to find suitable abutment or pressure belts which are able to absorb the corresponding tensional forces for the production of the abutment or pressure force and which in particular during the treatment of paper webs, still more or less damp as a result of the manufacture thereof, are correspondingly permeable in addition thereto.

The present invention is concerned above all with the problem to so complete the aforementioned installation that for the production of the abutment forces for pressing the material web against the hose roller, other means can be used independent of the abutment pressure belt and that the utilization of an abutment band or pressure belt can possibly be completely dispensed with.

The underlying problems are solved in accordance with the present invention essentially in that the hose roller including the disks or the like are flattened off within a fixed circumferential area determined for the cooperation with the counter surface or are constructed so as tovbe capable of being elastically pressed-in in the radial direction and the hose is supported within the contact area with the material web by way of the latter at the hose of a similar hose roller or at a cylinder.

By the use of such a support of the hose of the hose roller within its area cooperating with thematerial web at a similar hose roller or at a cylinder at the same time constructed appropriately as drying cylinder, the use of a separate abutment or pressure belt is obviated. However, if such a pressure belt is necessitated anyhow for the better guidance of the material web which, for example, is still wet and sensitive, then the temporary compression thereof between the hose roller and the counter-surface for the material of the pressure belt can be accepted without objection.

In particular when the hose consists of a particularly far-reachingly deformable, soft elastic material, it is advantageous according to a preferred construction of the present invention if the disks or the like are adjustable in their mutual spacing in the sense of a corresponding axial stretching or stressing of the hose.

According to a further preferred construction of the present invention, the hose of the hose roller is traversed in its circumferential direction by inserted or embedded ring-shaped, closed filaments or cables non-stretchable in their longitudinal direction and arranged in the direction transverse to the hose roller parallel adjacent to and unconnected with one another or is traversed by a filament or a cable non-stretchable in the longitudinal direction and wound within the hose in the transverse direction thereof with a small pitch, which is closed circularly at the'ends of the hose. It is assured thereby that the hose is deformed by the abutment pressure only in its width and not possibly also in its circumferential direction in the sense of an enlargement of its diameter.

According to a further feature of the present invention, rollers, mutually oppositely adjustable parallel to the axis against the disks in the sense of their tilting and each guided in tangential planes to the disks, are arranged within the inlet and/or outlet circumferential area of the hose, by means of which the tilting of the disks and therewith the change in width of the hose is brought about particularly appropriately.

According to still another embodiment of the present invention, a pressure belt guided in conjunction with the material web is transversely elastic and is provided along its edges with a guide belt each, which extends within the area of the hose roller over the associated edge of the hose or over guide rollers. Such a transversely elastic construction of a pressure belt is necessary when the hose roller is pressed against the material web guided over a drying cylinder by means of a pressure belt indirectly by way of the pressure belt.

According to a further, equally preferred constructive embodiment of the present invention in lieu of the aforementioned disks, roller chains are provided with are each guided in a fixedly supported plate pivotal, however, in the sense of the aforementioned tilting movements. According to an associated construction of the present invention, the hose is filled with a pressure medium and the pressure medium is supported at the plate on both sides by way of a sealing plate and of a support body and the roller chain is guided along the circumference of an essentially circularly shaped plate, flattened, however, on one side, whereby support rollers arranged along a circular arc are coordinated to the hose within its circumferential area disposed outside of the working area at the material web. The arrangement of a shaft approximately axially extending through the hose is obviated thereby and the pressure force used within the hose can act very uniformly on the flattened oif area of the hose against which abuts the material web to be deformed.

Significant for the success of an undertaken transverse stretching or transverse shrinking is that the material web consisting in particular of paper has no opportunity subsequently to a renewed automatic change of the induced properties which might readily occur with the still damp material by a subsequent freely bridged length of the conveyed material web. For this reason according to a still further feature of the present invention, there are arranged successively along the area of a drying cylinder surrounded by the material web a hose roller, a drying hood, a second hose roller and a further drying hood.

Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide an installation for the transverse shrinking and stretching of material webs which avoids by simple means the aforementioned shortcomings and drawbacks encountered with the prior art constructions.

Another object of the present invention resides in an installation of the type described above which assures the requisite transverse changes in the web material without the need of a pressure belt to produce the hitherto necessary abutment pressures.

A further object of the present invention resides in an installation for transversely stretching or shrinking a material, particularly a paper web which is simple in construction, involves relatively low expenditures and assures the prevention of a return of the material to its original condition while being treated.

These and further objects, features, and advantages of the present invention will become more obvious from the following description when taken in connection with the accompanying drawing which shows, for purposes of illustration only, several embodiments in accordance with the present invention, and wherein:

FIG. 1 is a schematic side elevational view of a conventional paper machine with a drying section having a transverse stretching installation in accordance with the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view, on an enlarged scale, through the installation of FIG. 1 according to the present invention in the form of a hose roller, taken along line IIII of FIG. 4;

FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view, taken along line III III of FIG. 4, through a similar hose roller associated in a mirror-image-like manner to the hose of FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a partial longitudinal cross-sectional view, taken along line IVIV of FIG. 2, through the hose roller of FIG. 2 in conjunction with a schematically illustrated pressure medium supply system;

FIG. 5 is a front elevational view of the same hose roller, taken in the direction of arrow V of FIG. 4, with details of the hose roller illustrated in cross section for purposes of clarity;

FIG. 6 is a partial cross-sectional view, on a still further enlarged scale, of a hose end of the hose roller according to FIG. 4;

FIG. 7 is a partial cross-sectional view, taken along line VII-VII of FIG. 9, through a modified embodiment of a hose roller indicating some of the parts thereof in cross section;

FIG. 8 is a cross-sectional view, similar to FIG. 3, of a hose roller together with support rollers, coordinated in a mirror-image-like manner to the hose roller of FIG. 7, and taken along line VIII-VIII of FIG. 9.

FIG. 9 is a longitudinal cross-sectional view of the installation of FIG. 7, taken along line IX-IX of FIG. 7;

FIG. 10 is a front elevational view of a drying cylinder provided along its circumference with two hose rollers adapted to be elastically pressed-in and additionally with two drying hoods of a drying section (not shown as to the rest thereof) of an otherwise conventional paper machine;

FIG. 11 is a partial longitudinal cross-sectional view, taken along line Xl-XI of FIG. 10, showing the parts on a greatly enlarged scale;

FIG. 12 is a top plan view of the parts illustrated in FIG. 11;

FIG. 13 is a schematic front elevational view of a drying cylinder, similar to FIG. 10, but on a reduced scale, which is provided with hose rollers according to the present invention;

FIG. 14 is a partial longitudinal cross-sectional view taken along line XIV-XIV of FIG. 13;

FIG. 15 is a View illustrating the unfolded circumferential area of a hose roller according to FIG. 13 of the present invention, together with a transversely stretched or shrunk paper web and similarly transversely stretched or shrunk drying fabric, the various parts being developed in the plane of the drying;

FIGS. 16 to 18 are schematic front elevational views, similar to FIG. 13, of three further embodiments of a drying cylinder with two hose rollers and with one drying hood in accordance with the present invention;

FIG. 19 is a cross-sectional view, similar to FIG. 2, of another modified embodiment of a hose roller in accordance with the present invention, taken along lines XIX- XIX of FIGS. 20 and 21;

FIG. 20 is a partial longitudinal cross-sectional view of the hose roller of FIG. 19, taken along line XX-XX of FIG. 19; and

FIG. 21 is a corresponding partial longitudinal crosssectional view, similar to FIG. 20, of a slightl modified embodiment of a hose roller of the present invention.

Referring now to the drawings wherein like reference numerals are used throughout the various views to designate like parts, of the two reference characters QR and Q5 used in the various views of the drawing, the reference character QR indicates the direction of rotation for the transverse stretching and the reference character QS the direction of rotation for the transverse shrinking. With the arrows for the direction of rotation, which are not specifically characterized, the installation may be used both for transverse stretching and also for transverse shrinking.

According to the embodiment illustrated in FIG. 1, the installation according to the present invention serves for the transverse stretching of a paper web 2 made in a conventional paper machine and passing through the drying section 1 of this machine. Of the several drying cylinders 3 of the drying section 1, the one designated in FIG. 1 with reference to numeral 3' cooperates with a transverse stretching arrangement constructed as hose roller generally designated by reference numeral 101 and to be discusctlsed more fully hereinafter with reference to FIGS. 2 an 4.

The hose roller 101 supported at the stationary support part 5 of the drying section 1 according to FIG. 4 by means of the bearing pins 6 and bearings 7 is provided with a hose 8 placed thereon loosely which, in turn, is provided at each of its ends with an inner entrainment ring 9. A ring 10 which is as non-stretchable as possible, is inserted into the entrainment ring 9 (FIG. 6) and the hose 8 is transversed in its circumferential direction by a filament or cable 11, wound in the longitudinal direction thereof with a small pitch which is closed at the hose ends in a circularly shaped manner (FIG. 6). A threaded bushing 12 is rotatably supported on a respective one of the two bearing shafts 6 and is adapted to be fixed by set screws 13 (FIG. 4). A ball nut 14 forming at its outer circumference a spherical bearing is supported on each threaded bushing 12; a stretching disk 56, constructed of two parts for assembly reasons, is movably supported on the spherical bearing of the ball nut 14 by means of an internally spherical ball ring 55. The ball nut 14, which is adjustable along the threaded bushing 12 in a manner to be described more fully hereinafter, can be fixed by a ring nut 14a on the threaded bushing 12. Both stretching disks 56 engage along their outer edge behind the associated entrainment ring 9 and abut with their engaging surfaces according to FIG. 6 against a respective lining 18 having a large frictional resistance of the coordinated entrainment ring 9.

Within the circumferential area of the cylinder 3', surrounded by the paper web 2, are arranged four guide rollers 22 (FIG. 1) of which one may be driven and which are surrounded by a pressure belt 49 elastic in the transverse direction and simultaneously constructed as drying fabric which also rotates about the, area of the cylinder 3' surrounded by the paper web outside of the paper web 2 with a velocity synchronous thereto. The cooperation of the transversely elastic abutment or pressure belt 49 with the hose roller 101, the paper web 2 and the drying cylinder 3' will be described more fully hereinafter with reference to FIGS. 10 to 15.

As can be seen in particular from FIGS. 4 and 5, guide rollers. 27 are arranged in the circumferential area of the hose 8 on the inlet side, which are displaceable mutually oppositely toward the stretching disks 56 parallel to the axis and in the sense of the tilting thereof and which are guided in tangential planes to the stretching disks 56. Each roller 27 is supported in a forked bearing 28 which is longitudinally displaceably supported by way of a guide bolt 29 secured at its legs in parts of the stationary support 5. Each forked bearing 28 can thereby be displaced longitudinally by means of a pressure spindle 30 rotatably supported as its web portion but longitudinally non-displaceably supported thereto; the pressure spindle 30, on the other hand, is threadably guided in a threaded bore 31 of the stationary support part 5. The pressure spindle 30 carries at its free end a quadrangular head 32 permitting its rotation and can be secured in the respective desired position at the fixed support part by means of a counter-nut 33.

In the embodiment illustrated in FIGS.. 2 to 6, the hose 8 is transversed by a tubular member 52 of essentially smaller diameterwhich is rigidly connected with the pin 6 by way of intermediate rings 51 and accommodates along its circumference still on the inside of the 8 a number of profile hoses 53 following one another in the circumferential direction. The thus' formed compressible hose roller 101 which is thereby adapted to be pressed-in, is used appropriately in the manner illustrated in conjunction with FIG. 3 together with a similar hose roller arranged in a mirror-image-like manner for the two-sided action on a paper web 2 guided between the two hose rollers. Corresponding to the deformation of the profile hoses 53 during the rotation of the hose rollers 101, the stretching disks 56 exhibit a considerably smaller diameter compared to the hose 8 and each stretching disk 56 is provided along its circumference with radially outwardly projecting prestressed telescopic bushings '57, within which are displaceably supported on the outside thereof clamping bolts 58 which engage with their outer, flattened off ends behind the associated entrainment ring 9 of the hose 8.

A compressed-air or hydraulic line 60 is connected by Way of a schematically indicated supply head 59 with one of the pins 6 of the hose roller 101. In case pressure liquid is used, the line 60 starts from a pressure tank 61 in which compressed air is disposed above the liquid level which is supplied by way of a pressure regulator 62 from a line 63. If only compressed air is used, then the pressure tank 61 may be dispensed with and the line 60 can be connected directly with the pressure regulator 62 by way of a line section 60' indicated in dash line in FIG. 4.

OPERATION The hose rollers according to FIGS. 2 to 6 operate as follows:

The pressure medium is supplied to the pipe 52 by way of the line 63, the pressure regulator 62, which maintains constant the pressure of the pressure medium, by way of the pressure tank 61, the line 60 and the supply head 59, and thereupon reaches the profile hoses 53 by way of apertures 54 (FIG. 4). If a liquid is used as pressure medium, then the entire system is filled, with the hose rollers pivoted away, to such an extent as corresponds to the volume of the illustrated cross section. The force supplied by way of the pins or shafts 6 either to the upper or lower roller is equal to the interior pressure in the profile hoses 53 which are disposed closest to the pressure zones, multiplied by the abutment surface, but reduced by the inherent weight of the upper hose roller. During the further rotation of the hose roller 101, the lower profile hose '53 illustrated at the left leaves the pressure zone and presses the outer hose 8 (transverse stretching hose) outwardly into any desired form. The indicated form is assumed, however deviations therefrom are insignificant for the function of the installation. Since the hose 8 is dimensionally stable in the conveying or rotational direction, it has to return in the upper, nonabutment area into the circular shape.

During the common rotation of the two hose rollers 10'1, their width is enlarged in the direction of movement--or as viewed oppositelydepending on Whether a transverse stretching or transverse shrinking is desired. Since the lateral guidance has to be changeable in its diameter during the rotation by reason of the surface pressure zones, the stretching disk 56 was kept so small that in the apex of the pressure, it just barely does not contact the associated entrainment ring 9 and its collar disposed on the inside just barely does not contact the hose 8. The telescopic bushings 57 and the stretching bolts 58 disposed in the same slide radially outwardly and inwardly in a plurality of radial bores of the stretching disk 56. Thus, the telescopic bushings including stretching bolts can be radially, outwardly prestressed by a flow medium. The outer abutment of the stretching bolts 58 is assured by the centrifugal force and the frictional contact at the entrainment rings 9 whereas the movement toward the inside is brought about by the compression of the hose 8 and the corresponding deformation of the entertainment ring 9. For purposes of venting, i.e. supply and discharge of air to and from the bore spaces for the telescopic bushings 57 which change during the rotation of the stretching disk 56, venting apertures 56a are provided in the end-face portion of the stretching disk 56.

In the embodiment illustrated in FIGS. 7 to 9, a rubberelastic, end-face sealing plate 64 is provided in the hose 8 at the two ends thereof which is bonded, for example, glued or cemented along its outer circumference with the hose 8 and against which a hemispherically shaped support body 67 is supported with its spherical circumferential part from the outside thereof. The support body 67 is axially transversed by a pipe 66 serving for the introduction of a pressure medium into the inside of the hose. The plate 64 is reinforced by a sleeve at the place of traversal of the pipe 66. The support body 67 is axiallysupported at its outside on a bushing 68 which replaces the coordinated pin or shaft according to the preceding embodiment and carries at its outer end a ring nut 69 by means of which a plate 70 is securely clamped at the same. A similar plate 71 is also secured at the inner end of the bushing 68. Various shafts 78, and 85, serving in part for the transmission of the drive in a manner to be described more fully hereinafter, are supported at the outer plate 70 and partly also at the inner plate 71, and the outer plate 70 is retained by way of extensions 72 and of a bearing bolt 73 at a bearing mount 74 provided with a dovetail guide means 75. A tWo-membered roller chain 76 is secured along the side wall facing the hose center of the entrainment ring 9 connected with the hose 8 either by bonding or by chain bolts, which engage in corresponding apertures of the entrainment ring 9.

Pressure rollers 77 and 79 abut against the inner ends of the chain bolts of the roller chains 76 and sprocket wheels 81 engage in the roller chain 76 which are secured on shafts 80 supported within a circularly shaped area of the plate 70. The sprocket wheels 81 are driven from a drive motor (not shown) or from a driv group (not shown) of the paper machine of conventional construction by way of the pinions 82 secured to their shafts 80, a central gear 83 rotatably supported on the bushings 68, a further pinion secured on the shaft 85, a bevel gear transmission 86, a shaft 88 supported in bearings 87, a Cardan drive 89 with two Cardan joints, a further bevel gear transmission 94, a shaft 94a supported in bearings 90 and a belt drive 91, 92, and 93.

The described drive of the hose 8 by way or a roller chain 76 and the entrainment ring 9 is provided similarly and synchronously by way of the shaft 94a at both hose ends in a conventional manner not illustrated in detail.

FIG. illustrates the use of two mutually independent hose rollers 101 at different circumferential places of a drying cylinder 97. The drying cylinder 97 is supported by way of its pins or shafts 98 in bearings 99 of the two mutually oppositely disposed support brackets 110 of the fixed support of a conventional drying section, on which are supported also the hose rollers 101 by way of the bearing mounts or support brackets 74 (FIGS. 7 and 9). An upper cross bearer 100 connects the two brackets or mounts 110. The hose rollers 101 press against a transversely elastic abutment or pressure belt 49 constructed in the manner of a drying fabric which, in addition to being guided at the drying cylinder 97, is guided as endless belt in further guide rollers 22 and is provided at both of its two edges with guide belts 50 by means of which the pressure belt 49 can be stretched transversely in a manner to be described more fully hereinafter. The material web 2 constructed as paper web is guided to and away from the drying cylinder 97 by way of guide rollers 102. The guide rollers 102 are mounted in bearing brackets 103 and 104 of the support mount 110. The first hose roller 101 is followed along the circumference of the drying cylinder 97 by a drying hood 105 and the second hose roller 101 is followed along the cylinder circumference by a drying hood 106 of conventional construction.

The lateral guidance of the transverse elastic pressure belt 49 can be seen from FIGS. 11 and 12. The drying fabric is reinforced at both of its edges, on both sides thereof, by guide belts 50 consisting, for example, of rubber or the like, with which engage within the transverse stretching or shrinking areas and within the drying area, roller pairs supported at the support mounts 110 in a manner to be described more fully hereinafter whose rollers 107 engage behind the lateral surfaces of the guide belts 50 facing the center of the web.

Each roller pair 107 is supported on hearing pins or shafts 108 which are retained in a fork-shaped carnage 109. The carriage 109 extends with its forked guide means beyond the edge of the drying fabric 49 and 1s slidably guided transversely to the drying fabric at a guide track 110a of the associated support mount 110 within the track plane. A spindle 113 which is rotatably supported in the web section of the carriage 109 by way of a roller bearing 111 and is provided at its free end with a quadrangular head 112, extends beyond a threaded bore 114 of the support mount 110 and thus permits, depending on its rotation and fastening by an outer counter nut 115, the adjustment of the carriage 109 on the guide track 110a.

As can be seen further from FIG. 10, a plurality of carriages 109 are arranged at the support mount 110 along the abutment area of the pressure belt 49 of which in FIG. 10, only the spindles 113 are visible. In this manner, the drying fabric 49 can be similarly transversely stretched or transversely shrunk within the area of the two hose rollers 101 and can be guided with the edges parallel within the drying area.

The outer surface of the cylinder 97 (FIG. 10) offers as little as possible a frictional resistance and may additionally be sprayed with a suitable spraying medium, for example, a spray-medium containing a silicon oil, from a conventional spraying nozzle 26 arranged at the fixed support 5 in a manner not illustrated in detail.

With the embodiments according to FIGS. 7 to 12, the single interior space of each hose roller 101 is supplied with the pressure medium by way of the pipe 66 whereby the hose 8 is externally supported within the areas, in which it is not supported at the hose 8 of a counter roller, against support rollers (FIGS. 7 and 8) which are supported by way of pins or shafts 96 at the support mounts 110. The hose 8 is sealed at the end faces by sealing plates 64 which are supported on the support bodies 67, from which the interior pressure is supported by way of the bushing 68 and the plate 70, on the one hand, against the bearing bolts 73 and, on the other, against clamping locks 70a which, in turn, are also anchored at the support mounts 110. As a result thereof, the interior pressure of the hose 8 simultaneously assists the deflection or expansion in its width. Operating conditions may occur in which a tension, a pressure, or no force at all is transmitted by the clamping lock 70a.

The transmission of the forces required for the deflection of the hose 8 takes place by Way of the collars of th pressure rollers 77 and 79 which abut against the chain bolts of the roller chain 76. The drive of the hose 8 takes place by way of the gear transmission 84, 83, 82 in addition to the sprocket wheel 81 in the manner described already hereinabove, whereby the sprocket wheel 81 engages with the members of the roller chain 76.

The embodiment described in connection with FIGS. 10 to 12 is provided for those cases in which a great significance is attributed to a fixing of the paper web during the drying relative to the transverse stretching or transverse shrinking purpose. The supplied paper moves together with the drying fabric 49 toward the first hose roller 101, as is indicated in FIGS. 13 to 15 by the place a. Shortly prior thereto, the drying fabric 49 is laterally taken up by the rollers 107 (FIG. 11). During the transverse stretching of the hose roller 101, the drying fabric 49 is also extended in its width by means of the previously adjusted rollers 107 between the places b and 0. After leaving the hose roller, the adjustment of the lateral guide track is retained so that the drying fabric 49 cannot elastically return in the circumferential area of the drying cylinder 97 following the place 0. In this circumferential area following the first hose roller 101, the paper web 2 is dried by means of the drying hood through the drying fabric 49. If the paper has reached a certain degree of dryness at which the development of further forces in the transverse strength appears appropriate, a second hose roller 101 may follow which according to FIGS. 10 and 13 is arranged at the upper apex of the drying cylinder 97. The paper web 2 is further stretched transversely by way of this hose roller within the area between the places d and e whereby the drying fabric 49 also receives a corresponding further widening, whereupon the paper web 2 is subsequently further dried by means of a second drying hood 106 and as simultaneously fixed thereby. Insofar as the stress or stretch in the longitudinal direction of the drying web, i.e., in the direction of movement thereof, and the progressive strengthening of the paper web 2 permit it, a certain, additional transverse stretching of the paper web 2 may also be effected between the two hose rollers 101 by a corresponding widening of the drying fabric 49 by means of the lateral guide tracks thereof. After the separation of the paper web 2, the drying fabric 49 may again relax into its normal width between the places f and g.

In the embodiment illustrated in FIG. 16, the paper web 2 passes directly in front of the drying cylinder 97 through a width-stretching press formed by two hose rollers 101 pressed against one another and arranged mirror-imagelike to each other whereby the transverse stretched or transversely shrunk paper web is prevented by a pressure belt 24 constituted as drying fabric, which surrounds the drying cylinder 97 and therewith also the paper web 2 under high tension, and by means of a drying hood 38 from losing again the properties thereof induced by means of the width-stretching press.

According to FIG. 17, a hose roller 101 presses alone against a drying cylinder whereas a pressure belt 24 constructed as drying fabric and a drying hood 38 are provided in a manner similar as in FIG. 16.

According to FIG. 18, after a transverse treatment and following drying underneath a pressure belt 24 constructed as drying fabric, there follows a second transverse stretching or shrinking with subsequent drying under the highly stretched drying fabric and simultaneously under a drying hood 38 provided thereat. In all of these embodiments, in which the paper web abuts directly on the drying cylinder 97, a spray nozzle 26 may be provided ahead of the first place of contact of the paper web with the drying cylinder 97 as already described in connection with FIG. 10.

The embodiments according to FIGS. 2 to 6 and 7 to 9 offer the advantage that they are constructed in a constructively simple manner, however, it has been found to be desirable in connection with applications, in which higher transverse stretching or transverse shrinking forces and therewith higher abutment pressures are to be produced, to reduce within the hose 8 the stress in the circumferential direction at least along that part which does not carry out the transverse treatment. Therebeyond it is desirable to keep as small as possible the circumferential length of the hose roller not usable for the material treatment with respect to the remainder circumferential length used in the treatment.

The two aforementioned requirements are fulfilled in the embodiment illustrated in FIGS. 19 and 20. A fixed pin or shaft 124 carries the pipe 52 by way of two roller bearings 118. The anti-friction or roller bearings 118- are kept at a distance by a spacer bushing 125 and are axially secured by a grooved nut 120. A locking plate 119 secures the nut 120 in a conventional manner against unintentional loosening. Within the pipe 52 the roller bearings 118 and together with the same, the fixed pin 124 are retained by a flange 1160: which is secured at the pipe 52 by means of bolts 116. Circularly shaped sealing rings 121 form in the axial direction an annular chamber. Sealing rings 126 (FIG. 19), which extend in axial direction of shaft 124 abut rigidly against the circumferential sealing rings 121 (FIG. 20). As a result thereof, six sealing chambers K to K are produced according to FIG. 19 by means of which the twelve profile hoses 53 are supplied pair-wise with the pressure medium. The supply of the pressure medium takes place for each individual chamber separately by way of bores 123' as is also visible from FIG. 20. Each of the chambers K to K can be kept by way of the associated bore under any desired pneumatic or hydraulic pressure.

With a preferred modification according to FIG. 21, the pin or shaft 6 which rotates along, is provided with a bore for the accommodation of a distributor body 117 serving for the supply and distribution of the pressure medium. The distributor body 117 is supported within the pipe 52 by way of a roller bearing 118 and is externally supported on the support or mount and is secured thereat in a simple, conventional manner, not illustrated in detail herein.

Two chambers each, for example, chambers P and P' are under the same pressure. During its further rotation, the chamber P comes into the illustrated position of the chamber P and thus receives, as soon as the edge E of the supply aperture 54 has passed over the edge E of the axial strip, the pressure prevailing in the chamber K which is preferably adjusted higher than the pressure in the chamber K As a result thereof, the circumferential part of the hose 8 useful for the material web treatment becomes greater in relation to the entire circumference than in the embodiments described above. From P to P the pressure is decreased in a step-wise manner and increases starting from P' -by way of P' and P' to P and again reaches in the pressure P in the position P' While I have shown and described several embodiments in accordance with the present invention, it is understood that the same is not limited thereto but is susceptible of numerous changes and modifications as known to a person skilled in the art. Thus, for example, in lieu of the wound cable or filament 11, the hose could be traversed in a circumferential direction by inserted or embedded annularly shaped, closed filaments or cables which are non-stretchable in the longitudinal direction and are arranged parallel adjacent each other and unconnected in the transverse direction thereof or such inserts may be completely dispensed with especially if simultaneously with transverse stretching a more or less large longitudinal stretching of the material web is to be sought.

Thus, it is obvious that the present invention is not limited to the details shown and described herein but is susceptible of numerous changes and modifications as known to a person skilled in the art, and I therefore do not wish to be limited to the details shown and described herein, but intend to cover all such changes and modifications as are encompassed by the scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. An apparatus for transversely elongating or transversely shrinking a continuously movable material web, comprising rotating hose roller means including an infiatable hose means, tiltable means operatively connected with the two ends of the hose means to enable tilting with respect to each other along the lines of a change in the width of the hose means during its rotation, thus causing the desired transverse elongation or transverse shrinking of the material web within a predetermined area of the outer surface of the "hose roller means, said tiltable means including two stretching disks connected at the outer surfaces thereof with the ends of the hose means, wherein the stretching disks, having a smaller diameter than the hose means in their relaxed condition, are provided with radially outwardly extending telescopic bushings and stretching bolts engaging, at each end of the hose means, the axially inner side of an entrainment ring means fixed within the hose means, said hose means and said tiltable means being sufiiciently elastic to provide for deviation from the normal circular configuration in the radial direction, so that by cooperation of the hose roller means with a counter surface within said predetermined circumferential area and within the area of contact with the material web, the hose means including said tiltable means is elastically pressed-in in the radial direction within said predetermined circumferential area, and support means forming said counter surface for supporting said hose means within ihe contact area with the material 'web by way of the atter.

2. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said hose means is elastically supported on a considerably smaller pipe means by way of profile hoses distributed along the circumference thereof and each extending in an axial direction and being inflatable approximately into rod shape so as to abut one another in the circumferential direction.

3. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said support means includes a further hose roller means of similar construction as said first-mentioned hose roller means.

4. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the support means includes cylinder means.

5 The apparatus according to claim 4, wherein said cylinder means is a drying cylinder.

6. The apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising an essentially non-stretchable ring inserted into the entrainment ring means.

7. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the hose means is traversed in its circumferential direction by filament means substantially non-stretchable in the means in the transverse direction thereof with a small pitch, the filament means being closed at the hose ends in a circular-shaped manner.

8. The apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a pipe rotatably supported on bearing pin means, said pipe being surrounded by said hose means and said bearing pin means extending outwardly through the disks, bushing means forming a spherical bearing at the outer circumference thereof and arranged adjustable in the longitudinal direction on the respective bearing pin means,-

and complementary spherical bearing ring means supported on the spherical bearing of the bushing means, said disks being movably supported on the spherical bearing of the bushing means and engaging along the outer edge thereof behind the associated entrainment ring means.

9. The apparatus according to claim 8, wherein each bushing means is constructed as a ball-shaped nut and is supported on a threaded bushing which is fixed on the respective bearing pin means.

10. The apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising additional roller means arranged in at least one of the inlet and outlet circumferential areas of the hose means within the respective tangential planes to the disks, said additional roller means being displaceable parallel to the axis and mutually opposite against the disks in the sense of the tilting thereof.

11. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the entrainment ring means are covered with a material increasing the frictional resistance of the ring.

12. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein guide means are provided along the edges of a transversely elastic pressure belt means which is permeable in the manner of a drying fabric and extends between the material web and the hose roller means and presses the material web against the counter surface.

'13. The apparatus according to claim 12, comprising v 12 spray means for spraying a lubrication medium against the side facing the material web of at least one of the two parts consisting of the belt means and the counter surface, which surface includes a drying cylinder.

14. An apparatus according to claim 12, further comprising drive means for driving said pressure belt means.

15. An apparatus according to claim 2, further comprising means for inflating the profile hoses to different pressures in dependence on the angular position to the axis of the pipe means.

16. An apparatus according to claim 15, further comprising stationary distributor body means arranged with the rotating pipe means.

17. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein along the circumferential area of a drying cylinder surrounded by the paper web are arranged, in the circumferential direction, successively, a hose roller means, a drying hood means, a second hose roller means and a further drying hood means, through which the paper Web is conveyed.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,643,147 9/1927 Angier 162--111 2,535,734 12/1950 Grettve 16228O 3,269,893 8/1966 Rojecki 1623 58 3,329,562 7/1967 Schaefer 16236'1 3,344,493 10/ 1967 Telgheider 26-63 FOREIGN PATENTS 0 235,499 1 1/ 1959 Australia 162-205 545,277 5/1942 Great Britain 26-63 S. LEON BASHORE, Primary Examiner T. G. SCAVONE, Assistant Examiner US. Cl. X.R.

2618.6,-63; 29ll3; 34-123; l62 197, 205, 361 

